2 Kings 8:7-15 ▼

7 And Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-hadad king of Aram was sick. And it was declared to him, saying, “The man of God has come as far as here.”

8 And the king said to Hazael, “Take in your hand a gift, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of YHWH by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

9 And Hazael went to meet him, and took a gift in his hand of every good thing of Damascus, a burden of forty camels. And he came and stood before his face and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say, ‘Will you not surely recover?’ And YHWH has shown me that he will surely die.”

11 And he set his countenance, and he set it until he was ashamed. And the man of God wept.

12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” And He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel—their strongholds you will send into the fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their children you will dash to pieces, and their pregnant women you will split open.”

13 And Hazael said, “But what is your servant, a dog, that he should do this great thing?” And Elisha answered, “YHWH has made me see that you will be king over Aram.”

14 And he departed from Elisha and came to his master, and he said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he said, “He said to me: You will surely recover.”

15 And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in the waters, and he spread it over his face, and he died. And Hazael reigned in his place.